Houston Astros catcher Martin Maldonado may have accidentally cheated as he ‘used an illegal bat’ during Game 1 of the World Series, which was sent to him by ex-Cardinals star Albert Pujols
Astros catcher Martin Maldonado reportedly used an illegal bat in Game 1
He was reportedly sent the bat from ex-St. Louis Cardinals star Albert Pujols
The bat barrel was over the maximum limit allowed after MLB’s 2011 rule change
The MLB notified Maldonado he used an illegal bat and he switched for Game 2
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Houston Astros catcher Martin Maldonado reportedly used an illegal bat during Game 1 of the World Series Friday night.
Maldonado was reportedly sent the bat from ex-St. Louis Cardinals star Albert Pujols ahead of the opening game of the Fall Classic.
However, the gift may have meant that Maldonado may have unknowingly cheated when he used it against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Martin Maldonado (right) reportedly used an illegal bat during Game 1 of the World Series
Maldonado pictured during batting practice ahead of the opening game of the Fall Classic
The bat barrel was over the maximum limit allowed after MLB enacted a rule change during the 2010-11 offseason.
The rule infringement was revealed after it was announced that Maldonado had changed bats for Game 2 Saturday night.
Tom Verducci broke the news on Fox’s broadcast of the second game of the World Series, revealing the MLB had informed Maldonado he had not used a legal bat during Game 1.
The Astros catcher was reportedly sent the bat from ex-St. Louis Cardinals star Albert Pujols
‘Martin Maldonado is using a different bat today here in Game 2,’ Verducci said. ‘He found out from MLB today that the bat he used last night was not a legal bat.
‘It was a model he obtained from Albert Pujols, and he used it because he thought it was very similar in size and weight to his own model. The barrel, he said, was slightly bigger.
‘He also thought it was a way to honor the baseball legend, of course retiring with the close of the season, but here’s the catch to it, guys: in 2010, Major League Baseball changed the bat specifications and that bat that Pujols modeled was no longer, except if you were playing prior to 2010 it was grandfathered.
Tom Verducci revealed on the broadcast of Game 2 that Maldonado was using a different bat
‘So Albert Pujols could use that bat but Maldonado, who began his major league career in 2011, was not legally able to use that bat.’
Maldonado reached out to Pujols before the start of the World Series and asked Pujols to send him some bats, according to ESPN’s Buster Olney.
The pair played together with the Los Angeles Angels in 2017 and 2018 and the future Hall of Famer reportedly sent a half-dozen.
Pujols (left) and Maldonado pair played together with the Los Angeles Angels in 2017 and 2018
MLB changed the specifications for all bats, slimming the maximum diameter of the barrel from 2.75 inches, which had been the standard for more than 100 years, to 2.61 inches in 2011.
Even if Maldonado was cheating, it was all for naught as the Phillies won Game 1 of the World Series Friday night with an impressive 6-5 comeback victory in extra innings.
Maldonado went 1-for-3 with a second-inning RBI single in the loss, which had seen the Astros take a 5-0 lead in the third inning before the Phillies’ rallying charge.